Paris Saint-Germain moved four points clear at the top of Ligue 1 after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Le Havre, thanks to a first-half header from Bradley Barcola.
The breakthrough came in the 37th minute when Barcola met Lee Kang-in’s precise cross, sending the ball past goalkeeper Mory Diaw. PSG capitalized on Lens’ 1-1 draw at Strasbourg on Friday, extending their lead atop the table.
Despite dominating possession throughout, the reigning champions struggled to convert their superiority into goals.
Dro Fernández, a January signing from Barcelona, thought he had opened his account for the club, only to be ruled offside just before halftime. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also had a chance denied by the woodwork in the second half.
From the outset, PSG looked dangerous. Kvaratskhelia was denied by a goal-line clearance in the second minute, while Vitinha’s shot was blocked shortly afterward. Barcola, playing in a false nine role under Luis Enrique, also came close before finally breaking the deadlock.
Le Havre rarely threatened the visitors. Their most notable attempt in the first half came from Simon Ebonog’s cross, which was expertly intercepted by Matvei Safonov.
In the second half, Issa Soumaré’s strike forced a save from Safonov, but the hosts’ efforts were otherwise limited.
PSG pushed for a second, with Kvaratskhelia hitting the post and Nuno Mendes denied by Diaw.
Late drama saw a penalty awarded to the visitors when Lucas Gourna-Douath fouled Désiré Doué, but Diaw made a superb low save to keep Le Havre in the game.
Despite their inability to add a second goal, PSG held on comfortably to secure the three points and maintain their advantage atop Ligue 1.
